How to Protect Yourself From A Soi Dog Attack In Thailand

Updated on January 22, 2011

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Most Soi dogs are harmless | Source

Some you want to take home | Source

Some just sleep all day | Source

In Thailand confrontations with aggressive Soi dogs is an everyday common occurrence. Local Thais know how to deal and fend off and protect themselves from Soi dogs so they come out unscathed. Sadly there are reports of death by dog mauling on children. Fortunately those stories are few and far in between.

As a short stay tourist you may not come across a vicious Soi dog especially when you are in the heavily traveled tourist destinations in Bangkok. But what do you do when you come across a wild Soi dog eying you like a t-bone steak? Do you fight or do you run?

Soi dogs are strays found throughout Thailand and there are many roaming the lanes and alleyways which in Thai are called 'Soi'. They usually congregate in packs, living in open lots and vacant spaces. Most Soi dogs are harmless pooches and are taken care of and fed by Thais who run street side businesses and kind residents. While eating at a street side restaurant you may find a few harmlessly begging for food by your table.

But you may come across some that are very aggressive and look like it's ready to do bodily harm. The first thing you should do is to stay calm because dogs can smell fear. I know it's not easy when you are face to face with one or more snarling and growling at you.

I've had more than a few hairy encounters with Soi dogs but mostly on the secluded beaches of Thailand's beautiful islands and coastline. There were instances where dogs would bark at me while I am snorkeling off shallow waters. It is most likely due to my appearance of having snorkeling gear on me, so I can see why the dogs would bark at me as if I were the creature from the Black Lagoon. But those occurrences were a walk in the park.

My Nightmarish Encounter With Soi dogs

The worst Soi dog episode I've experienced was when I was meeting a
friend at a hotel he was staying at on a quiet section of Sukhumvit road
in Bangkok. I was walking past a restaurant that had recently closed
down. I was first approached by a Soi dog which started growling at me
but didn't make a move. So I was cool and kept cool and walked calmly
with the corner of my eye set on the dog. Then out of the dark another
appeared, this one was more aggressive and rushed at me. Then another
appeared out of nowhere too and joined in.

My caveman instincts kicked in and I ran. Which I wasn't supposed to.
I felt a nip on my calf as I sprinted. Luckily it couldn't get a grip
on me. I ran like the wind with 3 dogs in tail. I barreled up the stairs
to a pedestrian walkway and looked back and the dogs stopped in their
tracks but continued barking.

I have to admit I was embarrassed. Even though this took place in a
quiet area around midnight there are still locals on the Sois eating and
drinking as well as many cars on the road who've most likely witnessed
me screaming and running like a child. I saw a Family Mart up ahead and
decided I just earned myself a beer from escaping a pack of wild dogs.
When I went to pay at the counter I noticed a nasty scrape on my wrist.

It happened while I was scrambling up the the stairs
to save my own life.

The scrape on my wrist while running away from Soi dogs in Bangkok | Source

Use Common Sense While Walking Off The Beaten Path

As I mentioned earlier you may not come across any mean spirited Soi dogs on your short holiday while visiting from one tourist attraction to the next in central Bangkok. However, some might feel the need to walk off the beaten path through side alleys and lanes, especially at night. And that's where most Soi dogs make their homes. And they are very, very territorial even though they are familiar with humans.

Not all Soi dogs are ill tempered | Source

The Best Offense Is A Good Defense

Thailand is a nation blessed with many idyllic beaches. And it's near the beaches that I have had the most run ins with violent Soi dogs, though never as serious as my altercation in Bangkok.

Now whenever I go to a secluded beach I always find myself a big wooden stick. As long as my arms with heft and durability. There are many trees on the islands so it should't be hard to find one at all. If you can't find a big one then use whatever is available. I have seen a Thai scare off dogs with a 1 foot stick. Personally I feel better wielding something larger and bigger.

The best thing to do is to just back away, without turning your back. But if you don't have any other alternative you just might have to build up some courage and scare the dogs.

Soi dogs usually don't just charge at you right away. First they size you up and kind of wait until you make the first move. If you feel that the situation is getting too hairy then wave the stick and start screaming at the top of your lungs. If you have successfully scared off the leader of the pack then the rest will back off too. This has worked like a charm for me in several occasions.

Why do you think Soi dogs attack?

Why do Soi dogs attack?

Soi dogs living on the streets of Thailand are very territorial. While some are more overprotective than others. And they will bark or show aggressive behavior to anyone who they think are a threat while encroaching their territory. It doesn't matter if you are Thai or not, because dogs are color blind. However, the way you smell might give you off.

It's usually the leader of the pack that is the most aggressive and whatever it does the pack follows suit whether it be charging or retreating.

There are usually a few sentry dogs in the pack guarding an area. If you see one eying you I would get back a bit because if it barks there will be more dogs coming.

The best thing to do is to back away, without turning your back. By keeping a safe distance from aggressive Soi dogs you will have successfully avoided a run in and a bad experience in Thailand.

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Comments 37 comments

That was an interesting encounter you had. Glad you escaped from the soi dogs. Here in my country, I just read a Rotweiler bite smaller dogs in the neighbourhood and killed them. Dogs can be dangerous, and yet we should not panic when we see them. Yes, it is good to have a long stick, just in case. I used to do that (carry a stick with me) when I was a small child cycling in neighbourhood with wild dogs.

GusTheRedneck 5 years ago from USA

Edwin - Why any country or municipality would put up with these packs of feral dogs is beyond rational comprehension. Gus :-)))

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

hi ingenira! Yes strays may attack smaller dogs here too so many Thais who own tea cup dogs usually carry them while walking, thanks for visiting!

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Hey there GusTheRedNeck! Well I've heard that there are some type of animal control agency in Thailand but I think they are way too underfunded to take care of the situation. Luckily not all Soi dogs people come in contact with are dangerous.

Peter Dickinson 5 years ago from South East Asia

You offer good advice. I have never had a run in with a Soi dog. They either fear or like me. I suppose it must be a mix of forty years of working with zoo animals and keeping dogs for even longer. In my youth in Kuwait it was Pi dogs which could be a problem and in India I had a couple of close calls too. I learned back in my youth that if you bend over and pick up a rock that 9 times out of ten the dog will back off. It even works if they think you have a rock. Threaten to throw it and they back off still further... as you stay a good stout stick will help too.

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Peter, that's true, rocks would've done the job of scaring them off too. Wonder why I never thought of that before ;)

Lars 5 years ago

Me and my wife here in Bangkok have several small dogs (in our house) and I walk them every day, six or seven soi (means side-street, alley is trok in thai) dogs live on our soi, no problems at all with them because they're afraid of humans. They start growl at you, follow you, just turn around and take a couple of steps toward the dog(s), say something and they back off. Now we have taken a soi dog puppy in, a female about five months old now and already the biggest in the house, she's very sweet and very smart.

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Lars - I'm glad you get along the dogs in your neighborhood. Thanks for reading!

Harold 5 years ago

When I went to Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket in 2009, it seemed like the soi dog problem was greatly improved since 2005. Compared to 2005, it seemed like there was a 100 times less, almost none. I am referring to the areas near the red light zones of these places.

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Hello Harold, there are certainly pockets of problem areas with soi dogs. I live near the Chatuchak area and there are many dogs but since they are taken care of by shop keepers they are not so ill tempered. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.

http://www.soidog.org/ this charity has spayed and neutered over 32,000 soi dogs. they are trying to raise funds to purchase land their shelter is on. please help. they are our best hope for keeping all of us safe, including the dogs. we humans are only ones who can help them. :) thankyou

willythuan 5 years ago from Phuket, Thailand

Scary... but true that Soidog foundation has done a lot to help in Phuket.

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Hello willythuan, yes it's a good thing that soidog.org is around!

daviddwarren22 5 years ago

Very useful hub.Thanks.

Debbie 5 years ago

I've lived in Bangkok for over a year, and I've had several run ins with soi dogs. I've never acually been bitten, but I've been ganged up on and followed several times. This advice is really useful. I've always found it best to retreat, and try not to panic (even though I'm actually scared of dogs at the best of times!) and I never walk down sois at night. I always get amotorbike taxi- whether that's more dangerous or not, you decide :-P

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

@daviddwarren22, thank you for the comment!

@Debbie, for me I get really nervous when a small group of dogs start following me too, especially when I'm carrying food =D

Jonathan 5 years ago

I always used to love dogs until I came to Thailand! I'd never had any real problems, proberbly because I cross the road if I see a medium to large dog, or get in a tuk tuk to avoid what i see in front of me haha.. I've been briefly followed a few times and can feel the nervous building very fast.. But yesterday I was walking on the pavement up a main road and there was this building with a big gate to my left which i was about to walk past.. As i got closer I heard barking, i went to walk past the entrance and 3 medium to large dogs were walking towards me barking, with 1 in front, i carried on walking looked over and the one on the from picked up the pace and started growing with his teeth showing.. I knew he was gonna have a go, and then the others would join in! So out of a mixture of instinct and fear I turned round to face them and shouted "rrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh" at the top of my voice haha.. the one at front turned away and back off, the other too followed! I didn't care too much that I looked like an idiot in front of whoever witnessed it! I quickly crossed the road, there was alot of cars and motorbikes so i knew it was safer as the dogs wouldn't cross.. when i got to the other side, i looked back and the 3 dogs were on the other side walking around.. I had escaped! I feel sorry for the next person who walks past there!! Was not expecting it, it was a built up area, ive walked up and down there so many times and hardly seen a dog there!

Edwin Clark 5 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

@jonathan, I know exactly how you felt at that moment. The hair on the backs of your head start to stand up as the dogs follow and growl haha!

Expect a lot more stray dogs in areas you won't expect them because of the floods. Not only have many Thais been displaced from their homes but so have the stray dogs.

TravelinAsia 5 years ago from Thailand/Southeast Asia

I have been in Thailand for 11 years now, and I am happy to say that I have yet to be attacked by any dogs ..

Jonathan 5 years ago

Tottally mate, was in Ban Rai recently and had to cancel a night out haha there was a night club at the top of the road, i looked over and there was some big black dogs lying at the top... i decided to have some beers at my hotel bar haha

johncimble 5 years ago from Bangkok

they are so scary in my old condo soi there got so many dog and when i walk back there from work they always barging and running around me like gonna bite me or something damn.. this so dangerous

reddy 4 years ago

A handy stone, good throwing arm, and nice aim, goes a long way...

TravelinAsia 4 years ago from Thailand/Southeast Asia

You can forget about my comment a few months ago .. recently I have been jogging in my neighborhood, and now I find myself unable to jog when I want to, because I have been attacked by dogs each time I try. I haven't actually been bitten, but I have had to fight off dogs with rocks and sticks, making me not want to bother jogging anymore. I think the Thai dogs are also a little racist, they seem to like to attack foreigners more than Thais.. they can probably smell the difference.

Shaun Metcalfe 4 years ago

Useful article, I've never had a problem with dogs anywhere else in the world but had a couple of unpleasant incidents in Thailand. The worst was in Ayutthaya I got lost one night walking back to my hotel and ended up on a barely lit road when I heard a dog barking then another and suddenly a whole pack, I crossed to the other side of the road walked slowly and avoided looking at them, they kept their distance but were still barking when another pack appeared in front of me, really scary I actually thought I was going to die in a dog attack, fortunately a car came down the road its embarrassing when I think back but I stood in the middle of the road flailing my arms like a mad man, the driver very kindly stopped and picked me up. I had other nasty incidents including being followed by a pack in Aranya Pratet one of which looked particularly aggressive, I was saved again by a car which came wizzing down the road and scared them off. Not sure what it is with dogs in Thailand even just across the border in Cambodia I've never had a problem.

JonathanEAA 3 years ago

Funny I'm also called Jonathan and I agree 100% with Jonathan.

I also loved dogs, all dogs, always believed there was only bad owners not bad dogs after working with dogs for some time, but after coming here and taking in a soi puppy, I have 100% percent changed my mind. Thes animals should be put down, generations and generations of pore breeding has led to some naturally over teratorial and agresive dogs, with owners who just let there agresive animals roam around, you will be surprised at how many of these stray dogs actually have owners.

Outright pests, no diferent that street rats ownlley bigger and more agresive.

laraloopsy 3 years ago

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that many Thai people feed the dogs in order to gain the protection that they provide to their family/home/place of work. So the dog is just doing his job and earning his scraps. Many 'owners' do not neuter the animals so this obviously creates a population problem but also does not help with dominance or aggression amongst the males. I have worked with soi dogs on the islands - if you take the time to establish a relationship with them, most of them are wonderful creatures with distinctive personalities who you do not need to fear! As for the government controlling the population, sadly this is often done on the islands with indiscriminate strychnine poisoning so pets and/or spayed, neutered, vaccinated strays are killed. It is a horrific death, life for Thai street dogs is hard........a 6 year old dog is considered a survivor.

CommonTravels 3 years ago

You idiot. Shame on you for posting something like this. You should post about how these dogs have become this way. Pathetic people capture these poor dogs for illegal meat trade to sell to neighboring countries. They cram them in small cages stacked on top of each other. Many of them suffocate before they even make it to their gruesome death. The ones that make it alive are often skinned alive and killed in the most inhumane ways. These monsters believe that killing these dogs in this way increases meat tenderness. If you want more information about these practices you should see some of the work by the rescues for these dogs. It is so sad, and maybe you should understand why they are threatened by people in the first place before you go and write a post about them labeling all of them as attack dogs. https://www.soidog.org/

Edwin Clark 3 years ago from Thailand by way of New York Author

Hello laraloopsy, no doubt at all many Thai families take care of soi dogs not only for protection but genuine affection as well.

Yes, sure you can make friends with a stray. But it's sort of difficult when one initially sees a person as an aggressor.

laraloopsy 3 years ago

Hi Edwin, from the encounters I have witnessed the lion share of the affection goes to the resident poodle/shihtzu that occupies the motorbike basket!! But yes of course many Thai dogs are very well loved by their owners. It is true, making friends with a dog that is unknown to you is not an easy task as they will be wary of you as a stranger and protecting their territory by instinct. As far as the dog is concerned the soi he lives on belongs to him, it is not for general public use!! I think if you find yourself in a situation where you feel intimidated by a dog or dogs, it would be useful to have enough language to speak to the people around and ask them to call the dog off, the dogs should listen to them. If nobody is around, make yourself big, shout 'Bpai lay-o' (apologies for the transliteration!) loudly to the dogs and pretend to pick up something to throw as others have said - golden rule, don't turn your back and never run! Be brave!

Nish 3 years ago

@CommonTravels I think you are an animal lover fanatic. Edwin has the right to be able to walk freely anywhere in Bangkok without fearing for his safety. What if instead of wild dogs, these were wild tigers roaming around. I doubt you would say the same thing. Instead of calling Edwin an idiot, it seems you are the one who is the moron. Unless you are a vegetarian, you are a hypocrite. When my life is being endangered, I have the right to self defense. Killing these dogs would not be wrong in this case.

nopangolins 3 years ago

Staying in Bangkok recently I made the mistake of booking myself into a hotel a little way off the beaten path (Rambuttri road). When I approached the hotel one night down a "soi" a large dog spotted me from near the hotel and started growling. I retreated quickly and walked about a kilometre back to Khoi San road. From there I got tuk-tuk to transport me back to the hotel, dropping me off at the door. I had to repeat this several nights before moving to a more central hotel. These dogs are a real problem and the authorities need to deal with it. They are also a problem in Siem Reap (Cambodia).

David Pearl 3 years ago from Bangkok, Thailand

Vegan animal lover but dogs have attacked me and ruined trips to Thailand....Any suggestions ??? I wish I could kill 100 % of them

Superman_bkk 3 years ago

Nice article. I also live in BKK and these dogs really frighten me everytime. Just today had a face off with a Soi dog, but a nice bike taxi guy came who was standing not very far came with a stick and just frightened the dog away. Saved!

I've been visiting Thailand every year for the last 20years and have never had a run in with a soi dog... At nights it can be a little scary as like stated in comments above they are very protective and territorial... I usually keep some beefy treaties in my pockets and I have made some life long friends with may soi dogs.... Last week I went to Phuket and did some volunteering with SoiDogFoundation (amazon, beautiful, people and organisation )and when u see first hand the abuse and torture of some of the dogs brought in and how these dogs have suffered at the hands of humans it is no wonder that some of them may have a disdain for humans.... Jonathan u got it right initially there are no bad dogs.. Just bad owners...these are not native wild dogs... People, including farang, buy a dog as a pet, irresponsibly not get it desexed and then when a dog no longer fits their lifestyle they get turned out into the street and now u have 1 of 1000's of soi dogs breeding trying to survive a life on the streets against cruel people and other aggressive dogs.... This situation is 100% the fault of people....

Sean 2 years ago

Living in the Lad Phro area of Bangkok with small children, the soi dog problem is quite disturbing. Our children tend to get easily scared by dogs in general after our encounters with gangs of barking dogs following and attacking us.

Sad to say it's like a gamble every time we and the children go out after sunset. The dogs makes it very hard get around without a car/taxi - visiting friends, shopping, enjoying sport activities etc.

Some areas a worse than others, but we cannot trust a certain street or small soi to be "safe" as these wild dogs roam abound within their territories.

We've had a couple of close calls, so now I look for a stick instinctively when we leave our home for a walk.

Wonder what it will take to get attention from the right people on the problem with these dangerous wild dogs?

Mark 12 months ago

This happened to me in Chiang Rai. I woke up early to catch the bus and when I walked down the street (6am) this PACK of dogs came running at me and barking and I thought SHIT that's it for me. But Ikept walking and the bastards fformed a circle around me and "escorted" me for about 2 blocks. I guess I was in their territory but that was terrifying. I kept my cool and showned no sign of weakness or fear as these sons of bitches can feel that. But eventually they left me alone. I love Thailand but the dogs are a problem.